Android 12 lets you see what your apps are getting into

After a while years expanding privacy and security tools, The Android team is in refining mode. Again, when an operating system runs on more than 3 billion devices, small changes can have a big impact. Many of the new features in Android 12 give you more insight into what your apps are all about, as well as granular options for limiting the data that these apps can access.

Android 12 beta is already available and will be formally launched in a few months. At today’s conference of Google’s IO developers, however, the company shows small adjustments and larger features that make it easier to understand what’s going on behind it and capture unwanted behaviors from apps. Some of these additions are similar to the features available on Apple’s iOS. But others are advancing the ball of privacy in new ways.

“With this version we want to continue to reduce the scope that data applications achieve,” says Charmaine D’Silva, product manager for the Android team. “It took a while to get it right, but the main focus of this version is the level of transparency for users.”

Android 12 has a “Privacy Dashboard”. You can see applications that have used potentially sensitive permissions in the last 24 hours. The clipboard divides application activities into categories, such as “Location,” “Camera,” and “Microphone,” and then shows you which applications have been accessed for these devices. Google will also ask developers to provide additional information about what they were using access for at the time. And you can adjust or revoke application permissions through the panel. It gives you more insight into how apps work in the background, especially because it includes an app, such as location data or access to your microphone, when and how long.

“We give applications permission to do horrible things; it’s not at all uncommon to see entries on the clipboard, “says D’Silva.” But is it something amazing on the list? Maybe you gave an app some time ago and you don’t remember exactly why. We wanted to give users a full picture. “

Android 12 inserts a green indicator light in the upper right corner of the screen, if the phone’s microphone or camera is used, which turns on. Added Apple’s iOS 14 similar feature in the first year. On Android, however, you can turn off the light to see more details about the app that uses the microphone or camera, which makes it easy to remove if you want to remove the permission.